HYDERABAD: Art is often the magnifying glass to observe past more clearly. It can present times gone by in fresh strokes and yet hold the claim to its non-presence in the present moment. Through paintings, sculptures and installations the history of Hyderabad has been present several times across different timelines by various artists. That’s how the artworks done in pen and charcoal by city-based artist Syed Rayees Ahmed glance back to the old mirror of that reflects its history through the artist’s personal narrative. The exhibition is ongoing at ICONART Gallery, Banjara Hills.
There are 51 artworks on display each one complete with fine strokes and a story to tell. The presence of cubism is evident with the elements merging the style with the connotations of tehzeeb and adaab which is drowned in the postmodernism din. The opuses are done in gel pen and represent the havelis, palaces, the giant rocks.
The dark background is surprisingly mild in most of the canvases as if lit with an unseen light. The lines tell that they are drawn over several days. “It took me 20 days to complete one artwork. It is not easy,” says Rayees.
He has used fabrino, acid-free paper ordered from Chennai. The artist studied art at Jawahar Bal Bhavan and then completed Bachelor’s Degree from JNTU followed by an MFA from the University of Hyderabad. “I have been painting since I was a child. This is my 13th solo show. I have always been inspired by Picasso and the depth the works of the master-painter contained,” shares the artist.
The works on display showcase the old wedding traditions, the mullah caps, the intricate embroidery work on sherwanis and dupattas. It’s freshening to find the artist depict sehra, a head-dress made of flowers and pearls wrapped around a bride in a wedding ceremony. The use of colours in basic blue and deep red attract the attention.
The exhibition is on till February 19
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress .com @Sfreen